


Shout at the Walls (Because the Walls Don't Fucking Love You)

by Failing_Physics



Category: DreamSMP, Minecraft (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Dissociation, Dream is a dick, Enderman Hybrid Ranboo (Video Blogging RPF), Gen, Hurt No Comfort, Manipulation, No beta we die like Edward, Panic Attacks, Ranboo Needs a Hug (Video Blogging RPF), Villain Clay | Dream (Video Blogging RPF), derealisation, if i need to tag anything else tell me, this is obviously about the characters no the people
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-22
Updated: 2021-01-22
Packaged: 2021-03-14 16:16:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,738
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28923450
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Failing_Physics/pseuds/Failing_Physics
Summary: Ranboo visits Dream in the prison and Dream adds another minor to his manipulation listOr, Ranboo really needs to learn to recognise manipulation tactics
Relationships: Clay | Dream & Ranboo (Video Blogging RPF), No Romantic Relationship(s), Ranboo & Sam | Awesamdude
Comments: 17
Kudos: 342





	Shout at the Walls (Because the Walls Don't Fucking Love You)

**Author's Note:**

> Ayyyyyyy get ready for some angst boys

“When did you last visit the prison?”

“This is my first time,” Ranboo responded, trying to hide how his tail was flicking back and forth with increasing anxiety. He’d only been inside the prison once during construction and even then the huge obsidian walls and redstone contraptions had sent shivers up his back. The finished product was so much worse. 

“Where is your current place of residence?”

“I-”  _ Don’t lie, that will only get you kicked out.  _ Sam was staring at him expectantly and Ranboo stared at the floor. “I’m with the antarctic commune. With Phil and Techno.” 

To his credit, Sam didn’t react to that news with anything other than a nod. It reassured Ranboo slightly. 

“Do you believe the prisoner is deserving of being locked up?” 

“Yes.” 

Understatement of the year. 

“What are your prior relationships with the prisoner?” 

_ How the hell was he supposed to answer that? I hallucinate his voice before I black out? I’m probably responsible for helping him blow up L’Manberg and the community house and getting the discs and… _

“I don’t really know him to be honest. He outed me as a traitor once though.” 

“I see. Are you willing to submit to any and all physical exams?” 

“Yes.” 

“Do you acknowledge you cannot bring anything into the prison with you?”

“But - my memory book.”

“No.”

“It’s only a book and I never go anywhere without it - I don’t want to forget -”

“Ranboo. No.” 

If it was anyone else - hell - if it was Sam outside the prison, Ranboo would have been tempted to argue back, but everything about this place was  _ so damn intimidating  _ that he held his tongue. It would be fine - he was  _ fine.  _

“And do you accept me, Awesamdude, as the absolute authority on the ground of the prison?”   
“I do.” 

“Good. You can go put your things in locker 2.” 

Ranboo desperately wished Sam would smile or say  _ anything _ to ease his nerves, but it was clear this Sam was an entirely different one than the person he’d met outside the half-finished prison all those weeks ago. He had no problem depositing his weapons, armour and blocks into the chest, but his fingers almost physically ached to leave his memory book behind. Ranboo did it anyway. 

He left the locker, tail now flicking furiously behind him as Sam led the pair down a hallway.

“Okay, set your spawn on this bed and stand on the blue lights.”

Ranboo did as he was told, flinching at the harming potions that splashed across his skin. It was only when his health bar got dangerously low that Ranboo started to panic. 

“Uh, Sam? I’m going to-”   
With a gasp Ranboo sat up in the bed, shaking off the horrible nauseous sensation that struck him whenever he died.  _ Why was that necessary? _

“Now I’ve confirmed you don’t have any items on you, you can come with me.” 

Ranboo shakily followed, choosing not to voice his discomfort to the masked man. Sam had probably done this hundreds of times before and heard all the complaints possible. The prison was deeper and so much more complex than Ranboo had ever imagined, but if he was honest, he was so nervous that he barely paid any attention to his surroundings. His thoughts returned to Dream, always Dream. Why was he doing this? It was definitely a mistake to be this anxious and vulnerable when going face to face with the equivalent of god. He should turn back - he should tell Sam that he’d changed his mind, but now they were in the final room and the lava was receding and -

Dream. 

Staring at him from the tiny obsidian cell. Ranboo’s heart plummeted to his feet, but he needed this. He needed  _ closure.  _ The bridge drew him closer and closer and Ranboo’s fingers moved to his memory book for comfort before halting. Of course. It wasn’t with him. 

“Ranboo,” Dream greeted once the kid was on the other side. “I was expecting you.”

“You were?” Ranboo spoke before he even realised and snapped his mouth shut. Dream was regarding him with something akin to amusement and Ranboo had the sudden insight to what it must be like to be prey.  _ Why, why, why did you come.  _

“Of course I was. I would be almost disappointed if you didn’t. We are friends after all.”

“I’m not your friend.” 

God, he hated this room with it’s stupid obsidian walls that remined him far too strongly of the panic room. It was suddenly ridiculously hard to breathe.

“Something wrong?” 

_ Yes.  _ “No.”

There was a silence, Dream just staring at him like he’d already won and Ranboo wanted nothing more than to curl up into a ball. 

“Look Dream, I’m just here to get some clarity - closure you know? Uh, I just wanted to know - did - did I blow up the community house?”

Dream cocked his head to the side. “What do you think?” 

“I don’t know.  _ I don’t know.  _ I think I did, but I can’t remember and if it’s true then you’re the only one on this damn server who I haven’t betrayed, but I  _ hate  _ what you’ve done and what you did to Tommy in exile so if I’m working with you then that means I’m a villain and-” 

“Ranboo.” The word was short and clipped and it stopped Ranboo dead in his tracks. Too much - he’d said too much. Maybe it would be easier to focus without those stupid walls pressing in on him from all sides, making his head spin. 

“Ranboo, you’re not evil - well. Not  _ that  _ evil anyway.” Dream’s voice was soft, but it held an edge that made Ranboo swallow. “But to answer the question, yes. You blew up the community house. Among other things.” 

“Why didn’t you say anything yesterday?” 

“Because we’re friends.”

_ “I’m not your friend.”  _

“You keep saying that, but we both know that it’s not really true, is it?” 

_ Oh no. Oh no no no.  _ “But I’d never help you.” Ranboo’s voice was desperate as he started pacing, looking at the lava, the ceiling, the floor, anywhere but  _ Dream.  _ “I wouldn’t! I know I wouldn’t.”   
“But you did. Really it should be you stuck in here after what you did, but I protected you.” 

“ _ Why?  _ Why do you care so much when I hate you?” 

Dream was silent, just taking in Ranboo’s agitation. It felt like he was trapped in here with Dream, not the other way around. 

“Well,  _ hate  _ is a rather strong word. You don’t  _ hate  _ me.”

Maybe it was the panic or maybe it was Dream’s soothing tone but Ranboo suddenly felt so incredibly confused. He hated Dream. He knew he did. So why was it so hard to  _ think? _

“You’re wrong.”

“Am I?”

“Yes.” 

“You don’t seem so sure.”

Ranboo stopped pacing back and forth and stared at Dream, tail still whipping back and forth. He sorely wished for his memory book, but the empty space in his pocket reminded Ranboo again of how far away it was. Dream smiled at him, making Ranboo flinch. He needed to get out of this place, with it’s unspoken words and smug smiles. 

“Poor Ranboo. You really don’t know what’s right or wrong anymore, do you?” Dream sounded so sympathetic and it was the realisation that the man was  _ right  _ that sent Ranboo back to pacing again. 

“I know enough to know that you’re the bad guy.”   
“And you helped me. So what does that make you?”

“I am _not_ the same as you.” 

“But you blew up the community house. And you destroyed Tommy’s house. You even looked after one of the Discs for me. If that doesn’t make you the same as me I don’t know what does.”

“But that wasn’t me!” 

Dream shrugged carelessly, “Semantics. It was a part of you. Look Ranboo, you can say you hate me all you want, but we both know that you can’t rely upon memories anymore. So what can you rely on?”

This felt like a trap that Ranboo was willingly walking into, “I can rely upon people.” 

“Exactly! And what are you doing? You’re relying on me to tell you about the community house aren’t you? You’re relying on me and I’m telling you the truth. A villain wouldn’t do that, would they?”

Ranboo frowned. The more he talked to Dream the more his words just twisted into a confusing mess. Dream was right - he was relying upon the man to tell him the truth, which was stupid! Dream had lied and manipulated Tommy, so why was he suddenly being so  _ nice  _ to Ranboo now? Ranboo didn’t understand, he just didn’t  _ understand _ . The walls around him were so close now, squeezing all the air out of his lungs and Dream’s steady gaze was making his skin crawl. He was as bad as Dream. That was the thought that hammered through him. He was as bad as Dream - was worse actually because he had put Phil and Techno in danger by keeping hold of the disk, had hurt the people he’d called his  _ friends  _ for Dream. 

_ Worse, worse, worse,  _ his heart screamed, so loudly that Ranboo could no longer hear the pouring of lava or the smugness in Dream’s voice. A tear slipped down his cheek and Ranboo bit back a whimper as spikes of pain rippled through him at the burn.  _ Worse, worse, worse, worse - _

____________

Dream stared down at the sobbing child before him patiently. It never took long once Ranboo started to panic, so all he had to do was wait. He was right of course - three minutes later Ranboo abruptly went still, the rambling about how he was worse than Dream cutting off. For the first time since he had been deposited in this hell-hole, Dream felt a genuine smile cross his lips. 

“Ranboo.” 

The boy looked up, eyes utterly unfocused as they came to rest somewhere behind Dream’s left shoulder. 

“Stand up.”

Ranboo slowly climbed to his feet, expression vacant, and Dream’s grin grew wider. This was the Ranboo he preferred, obedient, compliant - and it was almost too easy to push him into this state. A little bit of anxiety, a little bit of doubt - Dream didn’t even have to  _ try.  _ Child’s play really. 

“Now Ranboo, I want you to listen.”

And, just like that, his breakout plan had started to become a reality. Tommy was going to fucking regret imprisoning him. 

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! If you liked it throw a comment or kudos my way, I always appreciate it :)


End file.
